UNMIK on air
Yu program
19 April 2004
(By Gezim
Kasapolli)
SLUG: Just 4 weeks after the March riots, Prime
Minister Bajram Rexhepi and Deputy SRSG Charles Brayshaw visited the YU
building in Pristina to officially handover the keys of the newly renovated
apartments which were destroyed last month.
Just 4 weeks after the March riots, Prime Minister
Bajram Rexhepi and Deputy SRSG Charles Brayshaw visited the YU building in
Pristina to officially handover the keys of the newly renovated apartments,
which were destroyed last month. The
Government of Kosovo has initially earmarked 5 million euros for reconstruction
efforts across the region for property destroyed in March. The restoration of
the YU building is the first project to nearly reach completion.
Hello and welcome to UNMIK on air.
March 2004 will be remembered in the recent history of
Kosovo. Some 19 people were killed and thousands were driven from their homes
as a result of the unrest that shook the region and the international
community. These riots were mostly concentrated in areas in which the Serb
community lived and the Ulpiana neighborhood in Prishtina was no exception.
The Yu Building in Ulpiana suffered the most damage in
Pristina. Approximately 120 residents
were forced to leave their flats; everything left behind was either looted or
burned.
However, less than a month after the incidents, the Government of Kosovo was able to mobilize teams to repair most of the damage to the YU Building in order to enable residents to return to their homes. Prime Minister of Kosovo, Bajram Rexhepi, praised the quick response of government in creating conditions for the return:
Bajram Rexhepi: We were very touched, during our
visit with Mr. Harri Holkeri, with the request of those who lived in these
apartments who asked to be able to return to their apartments as soon as
possible. We have achieved this in the shortest possible time and we are
satisfied since with this we have proved that the government is ready to
undertake responsibilities and competencies and deliver in the best possible
way.
Deputy SRSG Charles Brayshaw also acknowledged the fast
action of Government to facilitate the return of the displaced residents from
the Yu Building:
Charles Brayshaw: this was a terrible event for everyone in Kosovo especially for the people who were driven from their homes on 17th and 18th of March. We’re very pleased that the government moved so quickly to commit itself to the rehabilitation of these structures so people could go back to their homes. I think that represents a recognition on the part of responsible people in Kosovo what Mr. Holkeri described in his speech to the assembly the true leaders of Kosovo that it is something that everybody needs to participate in doing.
Djordje Artenovic was forced to flee the Yu Building
last month. Artenovic says these are
positives moves on behalf of the Kosovo Government helping people like himself
to rekindle their faith in these institutions:
Djordje Artenovic: This is a major step forward
in order for the rest of the population to see that we have to live like this.
If the government does not undertake these steps, who else will? If the leaders
do not support this then it is hard to succeed.
The Yu Building is just one project among the
approximately 286 Serb residences targeted for reconstruction by the Government
of Kosovo.
Rexhepi says that the process of rebuilding the
remaining houses will soon begin:
Bajram Rexhepi:
This is only the first step that the government has undertaken since as
it was mentioned the main commission led by Cultural Minister Brajshori is
working hard and we believe that shortly within two or three weeks we will
start rebuilding houses also in other municipalities like in Fush Kosova,
Obiliq, Çagllavica, Mitrovica and in all cities where there were damages.
It is widely acknowledged that one of the main concerns
of the displaced Serb population in Kosovo is security. Deputy SRSG Brayshaw says rebuilding the
houses is the first phase, but creating a safe and secure environment for all
in the region is a task for every citizen.
Brayshaw told the media that the international community will do its
part in making this a reality:
Charles Brayshaw: We are now engaged even more
intensively in well-established mechanisms we have for consultation between
UNMIK and KFOR to decide precisely what actions we need to take to ensure
people feel secure. We know that there is the psychological dimension that we
have to deal with and I appreciate that individuals feel the sense of insecurity,
but I want everyone to know every community in Kosovo that we will do our
utmost to make sure that everyone feels safe everywhere in Kosovo. It will not
be easy but this is our commitment.
Rebuilding trust and confidence among communities is at
the forefront for all sides in Kosovo.
As the process of rebuilding is ongoing, one can only hope that
cooperation will continue as the region works towards fostering productive
relations among communities.
And that’s all for this edition of UNMIK on air. Thanks
for listening and stay tuned for more.